


Distrusting the data

by Phillipe363



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Red Robin (Comics)
Genre: Angst, Bad Parents Jack and Janet Drake, Batfamily Angst (DCU), Batfamily is a Mess (DCU), Batfamily-centric (DCU), Broken Families, Drama, Dysfunctional Family, Gen, Past Barbara Gordon/Dick Grayson, Tim Drake Angst, Tim Drake is Not Okay, Tim Drake is Red Robin, Tim Drake is So Done, Tim Drake-centric
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-09
Updated: 2020-09-09
Packaged: 2021-03-06 14:28:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,162
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26370424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Phillipe363/pseuds/Phillipe363
Summary: Learning he has been locked out of the bat family database Timothy confronts the person who most likely suspects of doing that, Barbara Gordon aka Oracle. The resulting conversation is not pleasant.
Relationships: Barbara Gordon & Dick Grayson, Barbara Gordon & Jason Todd, Jack Drake & Bruce Wayne, Jack Drake & Janet Drake & Tim Drake, Tim Drake & Barbara Gordon, Tim Drake & Bruce Wayne, Tim Drake & Cassie Sandsmark, Tim Drake & Damian Wayne, Tim Drake & Dick Grayson
Comments: 19
Kudos: 290





	Distrusting the data

**Hello everybody.**

**I got this idea the Red Robin #11 comic where Barbara talks about someone hacking into bat family systems, then realizes it's Timothy Drake. I'd say safe bet Tim was locked out of the bat database, and Barbara makes the logical sense.**

**Plus, later in the Red Robin run Lonnie Machin using the alias of Moneyspider is serving an Oracle like role for Timothy. Leads me to a high possibility Barbara and he had a parting of ways.**

**On with this story**

* * *

Clocktower in Gotham City during the night

Barbara Gordon is working at the computer station on intel for Dick, Damien, and her Birds of Prey group. Suddenly hearing the doors swiftly open and close Barbara reaches for an Eskrima stick kept under the chair's arm but stops upon recognizing Robin's footsteps. Well, now Tim since he's no longer Robin given Dick gave the mantel to Damien, so that's going to take getting used to not calling Timothy as Robin.

"What have you done?" Tim asks.

"You're going to need to be more precise" Barbara replies still typing.

"Locking me out of the entire bat family network, completely. I can't access any of my cases, or anything else. I know this isn't one of the hacking wars we do for fun for testing each other's security" Timothy says keeping a tight rein on his anger.

Sighing Barbara turns around to see the teenager "Listen Dick told me about how you think Bruce is alive. Now having seen it with my own eyes, your exhausted Tim, you need rest. I didn't want to lock you out, but I know without our resources you're less liable to go off… and get injured."

"Like Jason did? The good soldier who got himself killed because he didn't listen to Batman. Is this what we've come to now? No matter who's wearing the cowl. I thought I could trust you Barbara but at the end of the day, I'm not Dick. You'll always take his side" Timothy replies resignedly.

"You wrong. We just want to help. Your family, Dick, your Titan friends. You've lost a lot; nobody keeps going without cracking somewhere. Even Bruce has had his moments" Barbara says compassionately.

"I'm not insane Oracle. Your right I'm not okay, I haven't been since I've lost everybody this past year, and even lost Robin. All because Dick ripped it away to the kid who keeps trying to murder me. Who stole everything from me, even my home in Wayne Manor. I guess like your boyfriend you want to throw me in Arkham Asylum" Timothy replies bitterly.

"It hasn't been easy for Dick either, or the rest of us, we are all trying to hold together. And if he said that, he doesn't mean it, Tim. Dick can be very emotionally vindictive for not thinking much before he acts" Barbara says, "Besides you have no proof."

"Like Sherlock Holmes once said data, data, data, I cannot make bricks without clay. But you wouldn't believe me regardless" Timothy says grimly remembering the portrait at Wayne Manor which had Bruce's face in a supposed to be an ancestor of the Wayne family "I thought you of all people would know I don't make these theories on no evidence."

"Your wrong it does, but not like this. Bruce is dead. This is just your mind in grief. We buried his corpse and we can't spend our lives hoping he's still" Barbara begins but gets cut off.

"And you buried Jason. I buried Stephanie, only they are both back" Timothy snaps suddenly at her, on his last legs of patience. Desperately hoping somebody will believe him, desperately hoping he's not truly insane.

Barbara upon hearing his statement glares at Tim before glancing away for a moment then through clenched teeth "I think you need to leave."

"I… didn't, just your right I am tired. Sorry, I didn't mean to reopen that wound Barbara" Timothy says guiltily.

"Then go get some sleep. Neither of us is at our best right now," Barbara says.

"Yeah, I'll go, and don't worry about me. I'll be leaving Gotham City for a while, feel free to tell your boyfriend" Timothy says turning around.

"Please don't go do something stupid, we need you here," Barbara says.

"You don't need me Oracle. Dick, the demon spawn and you have this handled, if you need help call one of your Prey members, Justice League or Titans" Timothy says.

"No that's not… Tim, you're a member of this family too. You've lost your second father. All of us are concerned about you" Barbara says warmly.

Glancing off Timothy does his best to block out the voices of Jack and Janet saying _"Never trust anyone son, not even me"_ than Damien _"Your nothing more than a pretender, I'm the true son. You're not wanted here. In this house or in our lives."_

All brought up by this conversation because nobody left who's willing to believe him, and outcasted completely. Dick probably doesn't even realize by being the first Robin, and his natural charisma when Dick said Robin was suffering from grief people trusted him. Even Cassie Sandsmark thinks he's crazy. Pretty much destroying his reputation in the hero community, Tim notes grimly. All those years of proving himself gone in a moment. Barbara was his last hope for maybe somebody in the bat family or the larger hero group, would believe him.

Turning around a new resolve fills within Timothy because they are right, he's not a member of the bat family despite claiming otherwise. What he is a Drake and Tim letting a grim smile briefly flash across his face, well his Red Robin persona is going to be where he lets it out. Because he doesn't need the bat family, he has resources and computer databases not connected to Oracle or anyone else at all.

And Tim knows he's already wasted enough time in Gotham City, he'll leave by night's end for beginning his search. Hearing the clicking sounds of a keyboard for Oracle has got back to her work, which is fine, protecting Gotham shouldn't stop on his account, Timothy exits the room.

Meanwhile, Barbara is working on contacting Dick Grayson to let him know about Tim and to be on the lookout for intercepting him since she knows he's going to try to leave Gotham City. They don't need Tim out on his own, lost in stages of grief. Lost in the hope of Bruce being alive when none of them can afford it. Barbara lets some guilt wash over her but it's for her friend's own good.

* * *

**Hope you all enjoyed this and leave a review letting me know what you think if you want.**

**Barbara sending Dick a message about Tim is me setting up Dick as Batman confronting Red Robin and leading to a fight in Red Robin #4 flashbacks when Dick tries to stop Timothy from leaving Gotham.**

**Until next time**


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